I don't know what to do! Everytime I try to alter or copy a formula, chaos
breaks lose!

This is what happens:

1) I want to copy part of a formula from a cell to another cell, which is
blank.
2) I highlight part of the formula.
3) I click control+c
4) I click the new, empty cell so I can begin to paste
5) All of a sudden a black dotted line is circulating around that new cell,
and the other cell containing the original formula now has a solid line
around it!!
6) So I click the original cell to escape, and now my formula is missing! It
contains the location of the new cell where I just tried to paste!!!

Why does this happen??

This drives me nuts, as it happens a lot!

You are clicking the target cell whilst still in edit mode, that is why
Excel thinks you are pasting that cell into the formula.

Do it this way:-
1) I want to copy part of a formula from a cell to another cell, which is
blank.
2) I highlight part of the formula.
3) I click control+c
4) Hit Esc.
5) Click the new, and paste

--

HTH

RP
(remove nothere from the email address if mailing direct)


"Julie P." wrote in message
...
I don't know what to do! Everytime I try to alter or copy a formula, chaos
breaks lose!

This is what happens:

1) I want to copy part of a formula from a cell to another cell, which is
blank.
2) I highlight part of the formula.
3) I click control+c
4) I click the new, empty cell so I can begin to paste
5) All of a sudden a black dotted line is circulating around that new
cell,
and the other cell containing the original formula now has a solid line
around it!!
6) So I click the original cell to escape, and now my formula is missing!
It
contains the location of the new cell where I just tried to paste!!!

Why does this happen??

This drives me nuts, as it happens a lot!

"Bob Phillips" wrote in message
...
You are clicking the target cell whilst still in edit mode, that is why
Excel thinks you are pasting that cell into the formula.

Do it this way:-
1) I want to copy part of a formula from a cell to another cell, which is
blank.
2) I highlight part of the formula.
3) I click control+c
4) Hit Esc.
5) Click the new, and paste



Thanks Bob! It worked! It also works if you hit "enter" instead of "escape"!

Julie

It does, but I often find that I have inadvertently changed something, so
better to escape <g

Bob

"Julie P." wrote in message
...

"Bob Phillips" wrote in message
...
You are clicking the target cell whilst still in edit mode, that is why
Excel thinks you are pasting that cell into the formula.

Do it this way:-
1) I want to copy part of a formula from a cell to another cell, which
is
blank.
2) I highlight part of the formula.
3) I click control+c
4) Hit Esc.
5) Click the new, and paste



Thanks Bob! It worked! It also works if you hit "enter" instead of
"escape"!

Julie